New York leaders cannot remain silent in the face of anti-Semitism on our campuses

On college campuses in upstate New York and across the United States, Jewish students are fearful as anti-Semitism is on the rise. I never thought I would see the day when this kind of hateful intolerance would be so openly displayed, but too many leaders fail to speak out. Tents are set up on quads. Protesters chanted “from the river to the sea,” a rallying cry for the elimination of the Jews. Signs with swastikas and slogans like “death to Israel” and “final solution.” Police arrest students illegally occupying buildings. Threats of violence have increased, such as at Cornell where a 21-year-old threatened to kill Jewish students.

It’s not isolated to campuses. FBI data shows anti-Semitic hate crimes jumped 37% in 2022 – the highest in nearly 30 years and the second highest on record. We are seeing more despicable, hate-fueled attacks against Jewish communities than in decades, completely unacceptable and contrary to American values.

Yet presidents of elite universities like Columbia, Harvard, and UPenn have been reluctant to protect students. They have shown weakness in the face of this issue, violating the codes by “negotiating” with protesters, hoping the semester will end before making tough decisions.

My opponent, Josh Riley, is playing the same political game. Rather than condemn the vile anti-Semitism at schools like Cornell, Binghamton, Columbia and his alma mater Harvard, he is too afraid to anger the extremists. So he remains silent while Jewish students are targeted and in danger. When hatred is so open, you would think it would be easy to denounce it. But Riley prefers to protect his own interests rather than condemn overt intolerance and discrimination. It is inexcusable for anyone running for Congress to remain silent. We must call these anti-Semitic protesters exactly what they are. at Cornell and Binghamton, schools with large Jewish populations at the heart of this struggle. I stood with Jewish students, affirming their right to be themselves. At Cornell, when demonstrators held up an anti-Semitic banner, I directly denounced them. I also brought this message to Washington, where protesters have been gathering for weeks at the Capitol. harassing members of Congress with lies and Hamas arguments. I still listened to understand their position. But I have spoken clearly: I support Israel and the religious rights of American Jews. Silence is not an option. Schools must regain control of campuses. Students who bully others about their religion should be suspended and expelled. Reluctant university leaders should be fired by boards and alumni. If President Biden wants to say “order will prevail,” he must deprive anti-Semitic students and schools of federal funding. American taxpayers cannot subsidize hate.

In Congress, we passed bipartisan legislation requiring the Department of Education to establish a clear definition of anti-Semitism to eliminate excuses for not punishing violators. We have an obligation to confront this discrimination head-on through education, law enforcement, and principled leadership by shouting. this hatred. Leaders – academics, elected officials or influential – can no longer excuse avoiding this fight. Remaining silent in the face of rising anti-Semitism is an abandonment that favors bigots. The choice couldn’t be clearer. We can remain silent and let the anti-Semites gain ground. Or we can mobilize and fight a fierce battle to eliminate these biases from the social fabric of our nation. For the sake of our ideals and the future of our children, we must raise our voice as one and declare, unequivocally, that anti-Semitism will never again be tolerated here.

Representative Marc Molinaro, Republican, represents New York’s 19th District.

This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: New York leaders cannot remain silent on anti-Semitism